Stave-bending machine



(No Model.)

"E. & B. HOLMES' I STAVE BENDING MACHINE. No. 297,401. Patented Apr. 22,1884.

. Witnesses. Inventors.

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. lUNrrnn srnrns EDXVARD HOLMES AND BRITAIN HOLMES, OF BUFFALO, NEXVYORK.

STAVE-BENDING MACHIblE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 297,401, dated April22, 1884.

(No model.)

T at whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, EDWARD HoLMEs and BRITAIN HoLMEs, citizens of theUnited States, residing in Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State ofNew York, have invented certain .new and useful Improvements in aMachine for Bending taves, of which the following is a specification.

In bending staves for beer, ale, or other has been that a largepercentage of the staves break during the operation of bending.

The object of our invention is to obviate this objection by applying thebending-pressure at the ends of the staves and sustaining the back ofthe same, as will be fully and clearly hereinafter shown by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of themachine complete. Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section through lineas m, Fig. 8. Fig. 3 is an end view of the machine; and Fig. 4;represents a vertical section through a portion of the machine, in line2 c, Fig. 2.

A represents the frame of the machine, constructed of cast-iron or othersuitable material.

arepresents the endwise-pressing arms, one being arranged at each end ofthe machine, so as to swing on trunnions a Their upper portions orpressing-j aws are provided with pushing-blocks, a, which are secured tothe pressing-arms a by bars I), having a series of perforations, b, sothat they can be adjusted forward or back to suit staves of differentlengths.

' They screw into the pushing-blocks, as shown, and are secured to thepressing jaws or arms a (one on each side of each of the arms a) by abolt, D which acts as a pivot upon which they can swing or turnslightly. On each side of the pushing-blocks a is a journal or pivot, b,on which are pivoted the arms or bars 0, having their lower ends pivotedto a cross-bar, 0, (see Fig. 4,) which passes across the under part ofthe stationary or fixed bed a". The bed 0' is made in two parts, andsecured by bolts and trunnions c to each side of the frame of themachine. The cross-bar c is capable of being adjusted backward orforward as the bars I) c are adjusted, and fastened at any gopointdesired on the bed 0 by means of a bolt, (Z, and a cross-bar, (1. (SeeFig. 4:.)

similar barrels, the great difficulty heretofore- I Near each end of thebed 0 are two arms, d, pivoted to each side of the bed by bolts (1 Tothe upper ends of the arms (1 is secured the spring or yielding bed 6.This bed 6 is made of spring-steel or any other suitable material. It ismade sufficiently thick and strong to prevent the staves from breakingand forcing it out of shape or out of the required bend or curve, andmay have an upper layer or covering of leather or other suitablematerial, if desired. The lower ends of the arms d are secured by arod,0, which runs between them and through a cross-plate, c and thenthrougha rubber or other equivalent spring, 6 (See Fig. 2.) The tension of thespring or yielding bed 0 is adjusted by means of the springs e andscrew-nutsf. (See Fig. 2.)

F f represent two eccentrics, made in the usual way, and rigidly securedto the drivingshaft f They are connected to the lower ends of the-arms aby the arms 9 g and the bolts 9 To the shaft f is fastened a spur-wheel,9 which gears into a pinion, i, on the shaft z" of the driving-pulley 2'J represents a transverse pressing-bar, secured by bolts j to the upperends of the arms a. The hole through one end of the bar J is enlarged orlengthened, so as to allow for the forward movements of the arms a. Thisbar J may in some cases be dispensed with, if desired; but for somepurposes or some kinds of staves it may be used with advantage. For somekinds of work the pushing-blocks may be cast inone piece with or berigidly fastened to the arms a, in which case the arms or bars b 0 couldbe dispensed with; but we prefer the arrangement above described. Thereare many other equivalent ways for giving the movements to the arms abesides the eccentrics described and shownfor instance, a toggle-jointconnected by an arm to a crank on the driving-shaft, or it may beoperated by a steam-cylinder connected thereto in any well-known way;besides, there are many ways known to the mechanic for giving suchmovements. WVe therefore do not wish to be confined strictly to thedevices shown and described for giving the reciprocating movements tothe said arms.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A stave, K, being put intothe machine, as

IOO

shown in Fig. 1, the movement of the eccentries, when at or near thelimit of their outer movements, brings the endwise-pressing arms a andpushing-blocks a into the position shown by the dottedlines Z Z in Fig.2, and thereby bends or brings the stave and the yielding bed below itinto the position shown by the dotted lines Z Z in Fig. 2. As themachine continues its movements the stave is released, so it can beremoved and another put in its place.

In Fig. 2 I have shown in the transverse pressing-bar J a device forgiving a heavy spring-pressure to the stave while bending it, the objectbeing to give an elastic or yielding pressure at that point, and also toallow for the different thicknesses of the staves to be bent. (See theportion broken away in the said Fig. 2.)

1' represents the pressing-iron; r an upright bar, having anenlargement, 0, near the bot tom, upon which the spring 1' presses. Thisrod passes up through a hole at the top, and is kept in place by a nut,1', which also regulates the distance at which the pressingiron shallmove downward. The spring 0' presses against the bottom 0 and againstthe top of the frame, as shown. For some kinds of staves thisarrangement would be necessary. The spring ashould be very strong, sothat the pressure-foot 1' would require a hard press me to move it. willbe clearly understood by reference to the foregoing description and Fig.2 of the accompanying drawings.

It will be readily seen from this construction that the stave is bentsolely by the pressure against the ends of the same, and tliatas itbends it is forced against a strong, yielding spring-bed. The stave,being thus bent, is

compressed in the direction of its length, so that while the inner sideis compressed in length the outer side of the bend is not in- This partof our invention creased in length; consequently there is no danger ofseparating the fibers or breaking the stave.

WVe claim 1. The within-described mode of bending staves, consisting inapplying the pressure at the ends of the stave in the direction of itslength and partly downward in the direction of the bend while the backor outside of the stave is supported on a yielding bed, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a machine for bending staves, the arms or levers for giving theend-pressure, and their operating mechanisms, substantially asdescribed, and the pushing-blocks a, secured by pivots to the arms I),and made adjustable by bolts If, in combination with the arms 0, havingtheir lower ends pivoted to a cross-bar, substantially as and for thepurposes specified.

8. The end pressing arms provided with pushingblocks, and theiroperating mechanism, substantially as described, and a yielding bedsecured to the pivoted arms d", in combination with the rod 0. andsprings 0 for the purposes specified.

4, The end-pressing arms or levers, the adjustable pushing-blockssecured to the pivoted arms b, as specified, a yielding spring-bedscoured to the pivoted arms (1", and the rod 0 and springs c, incombination with the eccentric F arms 9 g, and their operatingmechanism, substantially as described.

5. The combination of the spring or yielding bed, the arms d, pivoted tothe bed 0', rod 6, springs c, and screw-nuts f, for the purpose ofregulating the tension of the yielding springbed, substantially asdescribed.

EDVARD HOLMES. BRITAIN HOLMES.

\Vitnesses:

J. M. CALDWELL, JAMES SANGSTER.

